Big Berkey Gravity-Fed Water Filter with 2 Black Berkey Purification Elements

I live in London (where water is said to have passed through many people before it got to you) in a Victorian terrace house that is divided into flats. I can't replace the lead water supply pipe from the street as the owner of the flat above me lives abroad and can't be bothered with the expense of replacing the pipe. The water from my kitchen tap has always tasted unpleasant and, with the added lead issue, it ended with my dental hygienist telling me I was far too dehydrated. She told me to get a water filter and so I went with a Berkey, as I wanted something that stands alone and doesn't involve complicated machinery under the sink. Also, I liked the idea that it was gravity-fed and didn't require electricity to work, unlike water distilling machines.I have to say that I am incredibly impressed with the result. They are finding plastic particles in mountain streams in Scotland and the Lake District, so no water in the UK can be considered "100% pure" but with my Berkey the filtered water has no taste of chlorine and no "mankiness" in general. The other day, I drank a glass of water from the kitchen tap without thinking and the horrible taste of it was a shock. I used to have to drink tea and coffee to mask the taste but now I have at least one glass of filtered water for every tea or coffee that I drink and I'm feeling and looking better for it. I still use the kitchen tap for the washing up and cleaning but for everything else, drinking and cooking, I use water from my Berkey.Lead pipes... copper pipes... plastic pipes... they will all have issues and the information that comes with the filter tells us that the Berkey can filter approximately 99% of pollutants (please check the info for the actual details), so I will be having a Berkey in my kitchen at any future property that I move to, even if I'm living in a less-polluted part of the country like Dartmoor.I have a couple of caveats. I have only had my Berkey for a couple of months, so I don't know how easy it is to clean the ceramic filters and I don't know how often they need to be replaced. As we saw with the Volkswagen "Diesel-gate" scandal, it is common practice for companies to be "economical with the actualité" and the filters may have to be replaced earlier than the company says. I won't know for a year or two or three. However, for clean, potable, odour-free water...? In my experience, the Berkey has genuinely been worth the initial expense (it has been cheaper than paying a builder to dig up my front yard and replace the feeder pipe) and I won't balk at the expense of getting new filters when the time comes. Other people who have purchased it complain that not all the water drains from the tanks due to how the ceramic filters and the spigot are placed but I have no issue with this. The small amount of unfiltered water that can't drain out of the top tank is poured into the sink and the small amount of filtered water in the bottom tank gets poured into a jug I keep in the fridge. It's very easy to manage.I just need to add that the advice on assembling the Berkey isn't very clear, especially the part about how you "prime" the ceramic filters. So I recommend that you look at videos on YouTube where people show you how to do it. Once the details are clear, it takes just a few minutes.BTW, after having my Berkey for 3 months, my dental hygienist is really impressed with the results. I am now properly hydrated and the water I drink has less calcium in it thanks to the Berkey, so I have much less tartar on my teeth than I used to.

This water filter has made a huge impact on the quality of our drinking water. Its easy to assemble and use. But the huge improvement over tap water is astonishing. Plain water from it is now tasteless, and when compared to a glass of tap water its really noticeable how much the tap water has a tang to it. Tea and coffee is on the next level, much more flavoursome, smooth and almost velvety..... and there's no scum left in the tea cup..... amazing bit of kit. Goodness only knows whats in our mains water but this filter seems to really work.... so much better than the classic carbon filer jug types.

We have had the Berkey for long enough to write an initial review, I will update it after a couple of months. The reason I wanted to get this review out quickly was in response to some negative points in another review which almost stopped us choosing the Berkey.I found the Berkey easy to set up and the filters easy to prime.Just follow the instructions and be patient, it does take a bit of time to get the filters ready but they are worth this effort. The spigot does require a bit of adjustment, the instructions call for you to hand tighten, then to hold the attachment nut while turning the spigot a quarter turn, it’s all in the interpretation, for me I clearly did not tighten enough initially, but this only required one adjustment to get water tight.The filters and the spigot placement do allow some still water to sit and the bottom of both tanks. This is not a problem as every time you fill the top tank the water mixes, further with two people using the Berkey daily you will need to top the tank up daily so the water never has a chance to become ‘stale’. Remember the filters remove almost all the things that would hasten the water deteriorating. Further, the market the Berkey was designed to service includes areas where there is a high probability of solid material being in the water, the Berkey is designed to allow this material to settle onto the bottom of the top tank without getting to the filters giving them a much longer life. This is not something we experience in the UK, it is something you would experience in rural areas of the States and Central America.The solid stainless steel tank and lid keep sunlight from affecting the water quality.The fitting of the spigot is just good practice, can’t really give a specific reasion, but again each time you fill the Berkey water mixes as it falls into the holding tank.I would recommend you consider the optional site glass spigot to avoid overfilling and highly recommend the optional stand as it does make using the Berkey more convenient. I support Berkey not including either as it would move the price upwards and thus make it harder for some families to purchase one.Overall I really appreciate the design and quality of the material used to make a very high quality water system. The processed weather is very good and the cost reasonable when you consider how much it costs to run some other jug filters.This is a high quality item and in my view worth the price, I highly recommend the Berkey to you.

Really happy with my Big Berkey. I had a conventional distiller in the past so I was really surprised at how quickly the water filtered through. It tastes so clean and crisp! We are used to drinking slimey, hard water here in Cambridgeshire which usually makes me feel sick after drinking. Now I can guzzle down as much as my body needs without the harmful chemicals and bacteria!I did not use the plastic spigot it came with as reviews said it was a bit flimsy so I brought a stainless steel one which works great.Priming was pretty easy I would advise to watch all the videos before assembling as it can get messy with water everywhere. The instruction manual was quite hard to follow so I watched the videos.Anyone considering this water filter should definetly buy! Worth every penny! I also attached two Fluoride filters which were easy to attach.

Hi.It was well worth the money and tye water taste was completely different and had a good feel of a different taste.But the problem that I have now is,after priming the water isn't draining well down the filter and the flouride filter.If someone can help me fix it please,would be a great help.

My husband and I decided to purchase a water filter after the East Palestine, Ohio train derailment. We didn't want to go with the typical, mainstream brita water filter or the one that connects to a faucet. We have had those before and the filter has to be changed frequently.We liked that the Berkey filters out forever chemicals, specifically the chemicals spilled during the derailment. It also filters out over 200 contaminants, chemicals and bacteria. Setup was fairly easy, however priming the elements was challenging due to the adapter that fit onto our faucet which was a struggle. The life span of the filters is amazing, as they only need to be changed every 11,000 gallons. Although the filters are pricey, around $170ish for 2, they are worth it in the long run. Using the filter is easy. Once set up, just pour water in the top, put the lid back on and you're good to go. Quality of the materials is unmatched. We purchased a stand off Amazon that elevates the element, which you definitely need. Hoping to get the stainless steel spigot soon to replace the plastic one that came with the product.Lastly, I have to say the water tastes AMAZING. Like water should taste. It rivals the taste of Fiji, our preferred bottled water. Our family initially made fun of us for spending so much money on a water filter, but once they tasted it they plan on purchasing one. I was never a big water drinker before, but now I find myself drinking lots of it. We fill up multiple containers of it whenever we leave the house. Great product, give it a try!

We are on a well system and the water is often cloudy and can have an orange algae in the water that just looks bad. We had the water tested and it is safe to drink but the appearance is just terrible. We did not want to invest in a large built in system using power or chemicals. After reviewing both sides of the Berkey certification arguments we decided to give it a try even though in Canada the price is a bit steep and a pair of replacement filters are close to $200 here. We hope they last as advertised with proper cleaning. Setup was easy and we were amazed at how crystal clear the water coming out of the Berkey is, and it tastes great. We are drinking a lot more water now and saving on the cost of the bottled water we used to drink. We have the Big Berkey and find that the 2.2 gallons advertised is closer to 1.9 gallons due to residual water left in both the top tank below the filter caps and in the bottom tank below the spigot. With two of us that is fine. A 12 cup coffee maker fill, a 3 cup dog dish fill and many glasses of water during the day for the two of us results in a daily fill from empty which to us is perfect. With two filters its taking about 1 1/4 hours to filter a tank but most of it is done quickly and then slows down as the weight of the water drops in the upper tank forcing less flow through the filter. So there is plenty of water for a drink in just a few short minutes of filtering a new tank. So far we are very happy with the way the Berkey is performing. We do not have the flouride filters.

La verdad es una pena. Llevaba ya al menos unos 8 años queriendo conseguir un filtro Berkey desde que lo conocí en casa de un amigo y me pareció una maravilla por sus acabados, lo económico (a la larga) del sistema, lo práctico del manejo y la seguridad del mismo. Hace dos meses lo compré. Llegó rápido, sin daños, todo completo. O eso pensé. Lamentablemente ya luego de tener montado el filtro, me di cuenta que no traía el colorante rojo artificial que es INDISPENSABLE para probar la funcionalidad de los filtros y descartar que vinieran con falla o defectuosos, parte medular del sistema. Y descubrí que aunque la venta a otras partes del mundo sí incluye el colorante, parece ser que para América Latina no, o al menos no para México.Tampoco me incomodó en exceso pues como había ya hecho investigación, sabía que el colorante usado es el rojo de la marca McCormick. Así que al día siguiente fui en busca de él para encontrarme con la sorpresa de que en ninguna de las tiendas (fui como a 7), vendían exactamente el colorante que necesitaba. Descubrí que sólo un colorante artificial puede arrojar resultados certeros sobre la condición de los filtros ya que los colorantes naturales o vegetales al ser minerales, sí llegan a pasar por los filtros (permiten el paso natural de los mismos para obtener una agua saludable) y no necesariamente indicar que no funcionan. El colorante correcto para el test debe ser rojo, artificial, con los ingredientes FD&C 40 y 3. Desgraciadamente la McCormick de México ya cambió los colorantes y no manejan esa fórmula precisa, ahora manejan el 14 y el 4. El más cercano que encontré fue uno de la marca Bakersfield que si bien es artificial, trae otros ingredientes extras que no trae la fórmula original de McCormick y sólo 1 de los dos colorantes necesarios, el 40. Lo compré y me di a la tarea de escribir DIRECTAMENTE a Customer Service de Estados Unidos, en su idioma, para explicar la situación. Anexé la lista de los ingredientes del que conseguí pues supuse que con esos detalles sería más que suficiente para decirme con seguridad si podría funcionar para testear los filtros. Respondieron rápida y amablemente diciendo que era una pregunta muy técnica y que debía esperar varios días más. Finalmente contestaron y me dijeron que debía ser un colorante rojo completamente artificial y que si quería, podían enviarme a casa el colorante sin costo, pagando yo el envío. Nunca me dijeron si funcionaba o no el que ya tenía, era justo lo que necesitaba saber pero ni los técnicos pudieron responder. Accedí a pagar el envío. Esperando me dieran instrucciones para pagarlo, recibí otro correo donde me dijeron que lamentablemente no podían hacer el envío a México, pero que buscara en la liga que me adjuntaban para distribuidores internacionales. Piqué en la liga, y oh sorpresa, no había ningún distribuidor en México.Así que estoy aquí, a dos meses de mi compra, con un equipo CARÍSIMO, que ya ni siquiera puedo regresar en caso de que los filtros vengan defectuosos, porque no incluyeron una pieza fundamental que es el colorante artificial específico para probar la viabilidad de los filtros. Creo que es importante que sepan quienes están interesados en comprarlo, que no podrán saber a ciencia cierta si lo que compraron sirve correctamente. Habrá quizá a quienes no afecte, pero en mi caso, que expuse con detenimiento al staff de Servicio al Cliente, tengo a un familiar con cáncer, bajo quimioterapias frecuentes y muy inmunosuprimido. No puedo arriesgarme a darle para su consumo un agua de la que no estemos completamente seguros está bien purificada.Por ello pongo 1 estrella, con gusto actualizo a 5 estrellas si la empresa o Amazon me ayuda a conseguir el colorante o habilitan un link para la compra del mismo para México. Creo que deberían por lo menos ponerlo a la venta como artículo aparte si es que no lo van a incluir dentro de la compra del equipo y que por razones de lógica común, debería ser imprescindible, sobre todo para países donde NO HAY FORMA de conseguirlo.

Am Anfang war ich etwas skeptisch , doch der Berkey ist einfach top, Geschmack und Leistung...unnachahmlich...kann ich nur empfehlen

Recomendado. Una solución brillante y ecológica al problema del suministro de agua poco fiable. Parece caro cuando lo ve, pero puede durar toda la vida, con filtros de purificación de repuesto cuando sea necesario. Es una construcción de acero inoxidable muy elegante y de alta calidad. Los filtros deben reemplazarse de vez en cuando, y también parecen ser costosos, pero necesita agua potable de calidad confiable sin botellas de plástico.Descubrí que configurar el sistema de purificación siguiendo la hoja de instrucciones requiere una concentración cuidadosa. Recomiendo comprar la bomba de cebado que facilita el cebado de los filtros. Además, en el primer cebado, frote suavemente los filtros como se sugiere en las instrucciones. Esto ayuda a garantizar que los poros externos de los filtros estén limpios y abiertos. Si tiene un problema o está disgustado con el agua que produce Berkey, comuníquese con el vendedor de inmediato.